About Credit by Examination

Whether you’re a new or continuing student, you have opportunities to get college credit by taking exams. Earning credit by exam allows you to meet graduation requirements more quickly, helping save time and money.

You can earn credit for certain NIU classes by taking the following exams:

• Advanced Placement (AP)
• Proficiency exams
• STAMP Test
• College-level Examination Program (CLEP)
• DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST)
• International Baccalaureate (IB)

Read about credit by examination in the undergraduate catalog.

Guidelines

In order for credit by exam to be entered on your record, you must be enrolled at NIU. The credit will post to your record with the symbol “CR” after the 15th day of your first semester. No grade will be attached to the credit.

Credit by exam is not awarded for:

• Courses for which you’ve already been granted NIU credit
• Courses that substantially overlap or are prerequisites to courses in which you’re enrolled
• Courses that are prerequisites for courses for which you’ve already been granted credit

Some exceptions apply. For example, a student enrolled in MATH 230 could be eligible to receive credit for MATH 229 based on an AP examination they took the previous May.